The seventh overall pick in the 2005 National Hockey League Entry Draft, Skille registered one goal in three North American preseason games with the Blackhawks before being held scoreless in the team’s two contests in Zurich, Switzerland as part of the Victoria Cup. Last season, the 22 year-old forward recorded one goal and five penalty minutes in eight regular-season games over two stints with the Blackhawks, which includes appearing in the squad’s first six regular-season matchups from Oct. 10 to 19.

The Madison, Wisconsin, native spent the majority of the 2008-09 season with Rockford, tying for second on the squad with a career-high 20 goals and finishing fourth with a career-best 45 points in just 58 games. Overall, Skille has appeared in 24 games with the Blackhawks over the last two seasons, collecting six points (4G, 2A).

Smolenak, 22, made his Blackhawks debut on Thursday in the club’s 3-2 loss at the Detroit Red Wings, registering a fighting major in 4:41 of action. The Prague, Czech Republic, native originally joined the team when he claimed on waivers from Tampa Bay on September 25.